In 1704 life is hard, but for a Puritan woman it’s even harder. It’s the time of Queen Anne’s war, and the seas not only pose a threat from the French but also pirates. Mercy Penhall, a mute Puritan woman, shows courage and strength in the face of the pirates that seize the ship she’s traveling on. If not for the kindness of the pirate captain, she surely would be ravished and killed. Edmund Gramercy is an unwilling pirate; forced to join or be killed he is trapped in a life he loathes. Going against his mutinous crew he spares as many innocents as he can, but Mercy tests him like no other. Knowing his life will be short, he refuses to claim her as his own; depositing her at the nearest safe port, he knows he’s done the right thing. Neither Edmund nor Mercy could ever guess that their lives would cross again and again, testing Edmund’s resolve and Mercy’s courage.

When I picked up The Pirate and the Puritan, I had no idea what type of story it would be; and I have to admit thinking it was a book I wouldn’t enjoy. I don’t normally read historicals. The only ones I’ve read have been for reviews, but by the end of that first page I was hooked. Mary Clayton had me vividly picturing not only the scenery but the feeling of the time. The early 1700’s were tough and often dangerous, and Ms. Clayton has woven her words in such a way that you not only picture it but feel it. Mercy is brilliantly portrayed and at first I thought there’s no way the author is going to pull this off; the heroine doesn’t speak! But Ms. Clayton not only pulls it off, she does it with a skill that is enviable. The savagery of the pirates is laid out before you with such color that at times I felt myself shivering with fear. Ms. Clayton has no difficulty portraying Edmund, the delicate balance between pirate and decent man is not only easy to believe but pulls your heart strings. This man is forced into a life he despises, but his decency remains on the inside. I’m not sure how to explain the connection between Mercy and Edmund. It’s there to see, but I can’t work out how Ms. Clayton manages to make it so alive. With each encounter the connection grows, and you just know that no matter what happens or how many times they’re torn apart, they’re meant to be together. The Pirate and the Puritan takes you on the adventure of a lifetime, over land and sea, through the towns and lives of the time it paints that couldn’t be done better if Ms. Clayton had used paint and canvas. If you’re a fan of historicals, and pirates in particular, then do yourself a favor and pick up The Pirate and the Puritan by Mary Clayton. You won’t be disappointed.

Reviewed by: Rachel C.